3. Strong defensive trenches

The Chargers defensive performance flashed just as strong in Harbaugh’s mind after getting a chance to review the tape.

“We played really good defense,” Harbaugh said. “Another half of not allowing a touchdown, in the first half, I think that’s the sixth or seventh time with Coach Minter coordinating the defense.

He added: “Some things to clean up… I thought we did well, acquitted ourselves well on defense.”

Harbaugh named a number of standouts from both the secondary and the middle of the defense such as Tarheeb Still and Daiyan Henley, but made sure to praise the work of the defensive line.

The defensive trenches were one of the things that stood out the most to Harbaugh from Week 1 after reviewing the tape, with Da’Shawn Hand and Teair Tart primarily in the mix.

“The defensive line I thought was extremely good,” Harbaugh said. “There was knock back, it was physical.”

Hand finished the game with a sack, a tackle for loss and totaled three total pressures according to PFF. Tart, on the other hand, batted down three timely passes at the line of scrimmage including one that took away two Kansas City points in the fourth quarter.

Harbaugh touted Tart in particular for his big plays, as he had a hand in how the unit was able to limit the run the Chiefs’ run game.

“He was disruptive, he was very physical, he was able to get off blocks and help create the run wall, which has been a big emphasis for us,” Harbaugh said. “We want to be better against the run. [They] ended up not running the ball as much against us as it turned out.

“I think that defensive line was a very big factor in that and we were setting the edge,” Harbaugh added. “Disruptive, three tipped balls, that was huge.”

Sticking with the defense, Harbaugh also provided an update on linebacker Denzel Perryman, who left the game after playing eight snaps.

The Chargers Head Coach said the veteran is “working through an ankle” injury but did not have a timeline.

“That I don’t know, [the] timeline,” Harbaugh said. “Don’t know that timeline.”

When Perryman left the game, it was veteran Troy Dye who stepped in and played a big role in the contest.

Dye, who started five games at linebacker for the Chargers last season, was in for 33 defensive snaps and finished with four tackles.

“Troy Dye, football player,” Harbaugh said. “He’s a leader of our special teams but comes in and really played well at linebacker when [Perryman] went out, who was also playing good but went out early.”